“But the Prince has come here?” the Duke queried him again as if he could hardly believe the news.
“I understand,” resumed Mr. Barnier, lowering his voice, “that Prince Potemkin left his head-quarters at Jassy in Moldavia, where he has been holding his own Court in what we are told is great Oriental pomp. He arrived ten days ago in St. Petersburg.”
“Was the Empress pleased to see him?”
“We are made to understand that she greeted him with every honour and tribute. In fact – ”
He looked over his shoulder to make sure there was no one near them before he went on,
“ – the Empress told an intimate at the Court who repeated it to me that ‘he glows in the splendour of his victories. He is as bright as a constellation of stars and wittier than ever’.”
“It sounds as if they are very happy together.”
Mr. Barnier moved even closer to the Duke before adding,
“It is rumoured that the Prince has demanded that the Empress dismiss Lieutenant Platon Zubov, but she has refused!”
The Duke was about to ask a further question, but Mr. Barnier, as if afraid he had said far too much, stepped back.
“The carriage is waiting, Your Grace,” he intoned, “and there is a second carriage as well for your luggage and your manservant.”
The Duke turned towards Elva and said in a voice he had begun to assume in front of others,
“Are you ready, my darling? I am longing to show you the beauty of St. Petersburg, and of course you are as deeply honoured as I am at being invited to be the guest of the Empress.”
“I am sure it will be very thrilling,” she murmured.
As she realised that Mr. Barnier was watching, she ran to the Duke and slipped her arm though his.
“You know how exciting it is,” she purred in a soft voice, “to be here with – you.”
She looked up at him with what she hoped was a loving expression in her eyes.
She was aware that Mr. Barnier had noticed.
‘I am really doing my best,’ she thought. ‘Aunt Violet would be proud of me.’
CHAPTER FIVE
Mr. Barnier had arranged a large and comfortable carriage emblazoned with the British Embassy insignia on both doors and the coachman and the footman on the box were in very smart uniforms.
The four horses were exquisitely matched stallions.
Elva was handed into the carriage and the Duke sat down beside her.
Mr. Barnier sat opposite them with his back to the horses and when they finally set off, he said with a sigh of relief,
“Now, Your Grace, we can at last converse without being afraid of being overheard. Is there anything you need to know?”
“A great deal,” replied the Duke. “First of all tell me just what is the position at the Palace?”
Mr. Barnier hesitated for a moment.
“It is in reality, as I am certain Your Grace will appreciate, a very complex situation. We have learnt from our spies – ”
Elva gave a cry of astonishment.
“Did you say spies? Do you really have spies in the Palace?”
Mr. Barnier smiled.
“We try our best to, Your Grace, and naturally the Palace attempts to place spies in our Embassy. But I think on the whole that we have been more successful than they have.”
Elva looked at the Duke.
“I think it is all rather frightening.”
“I agree with you,” replied the Duke, “but I have always heard that this is the situation in Russia and there is nothing we can do about it.”
“Nothing at all,” concurred Mr. Barnier. “Here we can speak openly, but I beg Your Grace to be very careful in the Palace.”
“We will take extra special care – now do tell me the position as far as the Empress and Prince Potemkin are concerned.”
“As I mentioned, the Prince arrived back unexpectedly when the Army was in, we all thought, a difficult position.”
“What was his reason for coming back?” the Duke asked.
Mr. Barnier hesitated for a moment as if he found the question embarrassing.
Then he said,
“We understand that he is extremely worried about Lieutenant Platon Zubov.”
“Worried?”
“He is the only Adjutant-General to the Empress who has not been chosen by the Prince personally and we have been told that he has never liked the young man. He thinks that he gives himself airs and may be advising the Empress in wrong directions.”
“We always understood in England,” persisted the Duke, “that the Empress is deeply in love with the Prince and that she valued his advice in very possible way.”
“That was indeed true in the past, Your Grace, but recently several important initiatives have been introduced without the Empress consulting the Prince at all.”
“I can understand that has perturbed him and I can appreciate his anxiety.”
There was silence.
As they journeyed on Elva was looking out of the window and she kept gaining glimpses of blue and green domes all decorated with golden gilded spires and immense Palaces.
She admired enormous squares with wide streets that made the pedestrians look like pygmies and even the carriages seemed to shrink to tiny nutshells.
As they drove through the City, Mr. Barnier said,
“As we were uncertain about the exact time you would arrive, Your Grace, I have arranged for luncheon today at the British Embassy. And afterwards the Empress will receive you as soon as you arrive at the Palace.”
The British Embassy appeared a most impressive building and Elva thought it looked exactly as an Embassy should.
The Second Secretary, Mr. Stephen Sharp, greeted them at the entrance and both he and Mr. Barnier enjoyed luncheon with the Duke and Elva in a large and imposing dining room.
The gentlemen talked about the war with the Turks and Elva said very little.
As soon as luncheon was finished they drove off in the same carriage. Their luggage, together with Danton, had been taken straight on to the Palace.
When they arrived Elva felt that the Winter Palace was even more wonderful than she had anticipated and as they entered under a huge portico she was almost blinded by visions of gilt everywhere.
There appeared to be a whole army of servants to welcome them and they were led through a succession of enormous salons all opening one out of another.
They were escorted up a magnificent staircase by a Major-domo in a brilliantly coloured uniform.
On their way Mr. Barnier had been describing the grand proportions and magnificence of the Winter Palace and how it boasted one thousand five hundred bedrooms.
When Elva exclaimed in surprise, he added,
“The Empress has considerably increased the size of the Palace since she began her reign and is continually adding to her fabulous collection of pictures and treasures, which I know Your Grace will appreciate.”
The Major-domo next pompously handed them on to a housekeeper and they then followed her along endless passages before she opened a door.
She said in Russian,
“This one is your bedroom, Your Grace,” and Elva answered her in the same language.
She looked around her and considered that they were certainly being treated like Royalty.
The room was just enormous, containing a colossal gold canopied bed which was much larger than any bed Elva had ever seen.
There were gold carvings on the headboard and at its feet. A huge gold canopy made it look like a Pope’s throne.
The furniture was all French and seemed to fill the room with grace as well as beauty and the large windows overlooked a pretty little garden at the back of the Palace.
Elva’s luggage had already arrived and two maids were busy unpacking it. They rose to their feet when the Duke and Elva appeared and made low curtsies.
“I think,” suggested Mr. Barnier tentatively, “that Your Grace’s dressing room is next door and you will find
your manservant waiting there.”
The Duke walked through the communicating door and Elva heard him speaking to Danton.
Next Mr. Barnier departed, having informed the Duke that the Empress was expecting to receive them in half an hour’s time.
This just gave Elva time to change her dress into something more elaborate. She took off her hat so that she could arrange her hair.
She was only just ready when the Duke knocked on the door.
She was amused to see he was wearing two of his decorations and she hoped they would impress the Empress.
An aide-de-camp called to collect them, wearing a bright crimson uniform bespattered with gold and a large collection of medals.
He led them again through a succession of rooms filled with riches and treasures that were, Elva thought, very like those described in the Arabian Nights.
She was longing to stop and admire the jars, vases, tables and consoles of porphyry, jasper and malachite.
The porcelain in every room was outstanding and the gilding and bright colours of the enormous vases was lovelier even than that of French Sèvres.
Finally they approached the Empress’s own rooms and standing outside there were gathered at least twenty armed guards all very smartly dressed.
Although Elva pretended not to notice it, she could not help being aware that the men were all young, tall, dark and handsome.
The aide-de-camp ushered them into an immense reception room.
Even as he did so, the Empress entered through a side door followed by two Ladies-in-Waiting.
She looked even larger and more imposing than Elva had expected her to be.
However, she looked old and her hair had become white. Yet she held an undoubtable presence, which made her, from the moment she appeared, dominate the room and everyone in it.
The Duke gave a Royal bow and kissed her hand.
Elva swept to the ground in a very low curtsy.
“It is delightful to meet Your Grace,” the Empress began speaking in French, “and I am hoping that you will enjoy your visit to St. Petersburg.”
The Duke paid her a fulsome compliment and then he recounted a message of congratulations and goodwill from King George.
“I hope His Majesty is in better health than he has been recently,” added the Empress, now showing rather pointedly that she was au fait with the Royal family in England.
Elva then presented her with the gift that Lady Violet had provided and the Empress was delighted.
“It will go with my collection,” she said, “which I particularly treasure because they are all presents.”
Then before anyone could say anything more, she informed them imperiously that there was to be a party that evening to which she would take them.
None other than Prince Potemkin was arranging it.
“He is giving it for me,” she informed the Duke, “because he is worried that I have been so very perturbed by the French Revolution. We have already enjoyed much of his marvellous hospitality.”
The Ladies-in-Waiting murmured their approval.
“Tonight is a very special occasion,” continued the Empress, “and the Prince assures me there will be a very delicious dinner followed by a ball.”
“It all sounds so enthralling, Your Majesty,” said Elva. “It is very kind of you to invite us.”
“We will be leaving here early,” the Empress told her, “because first we are to see a ballet in the Prince’s private theatre.”
She turned to the Duke.
“A carriage will be waiting to convey you to the Tauride Palace at six thirty.”
Next the Duke thanked her and as Elva curtsied, the Empress left the room.
It all happened so quickly and the Empress was so awe-inspiring that Elva felt just as if she had encountered a typhoon and had almost been swept away by its ferocity.
They walked back to their apartments and the aide-de-camp informed them that they would be collected and taken to their carriage at six thirty precisely.
When they were alone, Elva turned to the Duke.
“I don’t know about you, but I feel breathless.”
“I agree it is somewhat overwhelming, but at least we will both witness the glory and pomp of St. Petersburg, which will be something amazing to remember.”
“It certainly will be,” agreed Elva. “Did I hear the aide-de-camp say that as many as three thousand guests have been asked to the party?”
“You did,” confirmed the Duke, “and while you were looking at one of the pictures, he told me that Prince Potemkin’s Palace is to be lit by twenty thousand candles and the gardens by no less than one hundred and twenty thousand lanterns, for which a special consignment of wax has been rushed here from Moscow.”
Elva gave a little laugh.
“I just don’t believe it. I think I am dreaming.”
“When Russians give a party,” the Duke told her, “they make it an extravaganza which is memorable and so outrageously expensive that it would be just impossible for anyone else to compete.”
“I just cannot believe anyone would do anything so stupid as to try!”
The Duke walked to his own room where Danton was waiting for him.
As soon as he left her, the maids rushed in to help Elva dress. She chose the most elaborate of her gowns.
While she was still having her hair arranged, the Duke, after knocking, came into the room.
He was carrying the jewellery case which had been in Danton’s care ever since they had left England.
It consisted of a very large diamond tiara for Elva to wear on her head with a necklace of superlative stones together with earrings and bracelets.
It was a full ensemble, Elva realised, something a debutante would never be allowed to wear.
She thought that no one when they observed the tiara, glowing like a crown on her head, would question that she was anything but a married woman and a Duchess at that.
“I only hope we are not held up by highwaymen or bandits on the way to the Palace.”
“If there are any such people around they will not bother themselves with us,” the Duke assured her. “Wait until you see what the Russian aristocrats are wearing and I am quite certain that the Empress will eclipse them all.”
“I am prepared to believe anything, Cousin Varin. I am only too worried that I might just miss seeing something marvellous because I am looking in the other direction!”
She rose from the stool she had been sitting on in front of the dressing table.
She stood in front of the Duke and spread out her arms.
“Do I look all right?”
She thought that he might reply by teasing her, but instead he replied quite seriously,
“You look very beautiful and all the Englishmen present this evening will be proud of you.”
“That is the nicest thing you have ever said to me,” sighed Elva. “But I do have a feeling that our countrymen will only consist of those from the British Embassy.”
“I expect you are right,” responded the Duke.
The aide-de-camp knocked on the door exactly on time.
The Duke was just pinning yet another glittering medal onto his evening coat and when Elva looked at him she thought that no gentleman could be smarter or more handsome. He was wearing the Order of the Garter and the medals round his neck shone against his white shirt.
She had, however, not anticipated what their host would wear for the evening.
When they arrived punctually at the Tauride Palace, Prince Potemkin was already receiving his guests.
Elva had expected him to look unusual.
He was wearing deep red silk trousers with a sartorial tailcoat, the gold buttons of which were each set with a large diamond and he sported a black lace cloak.
He greeted the Duke enthusiastically and professed how delighted he was that he and his Duchess could attend his party.
“We are so very gratified to be the guests of Your Highness,” intoned the Duke.
He then introduced the Duke to some of his guests all of whom, Elva noticed, boasted important titles.
One of them was Prince Ivor Kervenski.
He immediately started to pay extremely fulsome compliments to Elva. He was escorting a most attractive lady who they learnt was his sister, the Princess Natasha.
They were all talking animatedly in French, when Prince Potemkin was told that the Empress had arrived.
He hurried away and a minute later the Empress entered the hall.
She was dazzling.
Elva thought that she must be covered in diamonds from her huge tiara, which was almost a crown, to her feet.
The moment Her Majesty appeared a choir in the gallery accompanied by an orchestra of three hundred sang a specially composed anthem in her honour.
The Prince led the Empress to a seat which looked exactly like a throne.
Twenty-four couples, half of them dressed in rose-red and half in blue, danced a carefully rehearsed quadrille that Elva thought they performed very gracefully. When they finished everyone applauded enthusiastically.
Next the Empress was escorted to a small private theatre.
An equerry had obviously been instructed to look after the Duke and Elva and they followed closely behind their host and the Empress to be placed in the best seats.
Two ballets were performed.
Then a huge clockwork driven elephant studded with emeralds and rubies was brought onto the stage.
The elephant’s Persian Sadhu beat a brass drum to announce that dinner was served.
To Elva’s surprise the Duke had been placed on the Empress’s right and she was seated next to him with Prince Ivor Kervenski on her other side.
The guests all ate off gold plates and drank from Persian goblets and Elva was intrigued by the food.
It was not only delicious, but Prince Ivor pointed out to her, that each dish had been imported from a different country on Prince Potemkin’s express orders.
“The oysters,” he told Elva, “are from Riga, the veal from Archangel, the mutton from Astrakhan, the beef comes from the Ukraine, the pheasants from Hungary and the grapes from the Crimea.”
Rivals for Love Page 9